Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MANILA593
2007-02-22 06:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Manila
Cable title:
PHILIPPINES CONTEMPLATING NEXT STEPS ON BURMA
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C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 000593
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2012
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM RP
SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES CONTEMPLATING NEXT STEPS ON BURMA
REF: A. STATE 20000
B. MANILA 179 (NOTAL)
Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 000593
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2012
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM RP
SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES CONTEMPLATING NEXT STEPS ON BURMA
REF: A. STATE 20000
B. MANILA 179 (NOTAL)
Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In a meeting with Ambassador on February 22, Foreign
Secretary Romulo welcomed the latest U.S. thinking on Burma
SIPDIS
(ref a) and pledged to continue to use Philippine
chairmanship of ASEAN through August to encourage the Burmese
regime to take meaningful steps on its roadmap, as President
Arroyo had done at the ASEAN Summit in January (ref b).
Romulo observed that ASEAN members seemed increasingly more
vocal on the need for change in Burma. The Philippines, he
said, was no longer the lone ASEAN voice on Burma. He
admitted that he was not sure this was having an impact, but
said ASEAN needed to use every opportunity to push Burma.
Romulo noted that the UNSYG had discussed with him the
importance of the role of the Special Envoy when the two met
in January. Romulo had no specific thoughts on candidates
"as long as it is someone strong and effective."
2. (C) Pol/C separately met on February 21 with Assistant
Secretary of Foreign Affairs for Asia and the Pacific Romeo
SIPDIS
Manalo to discuss ref a views. Manalo commented that this
meeting was especially timely, as the DFA expected to convene
an in-house working group during the week of February 26 to
discuss how best to handle the subject of Burma during the
ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference and ASEAN Regional Forum in
late July/early August. He reiterated the Philippines'
strong interest -- including by President Arroyo and Foreign
Secretary Romulo -- in seeing meaningful change, including
SIPDIS
release of political prisoners, in Burma, although he faulted
the U.S. for our insistence on using the "old name" rather
than calling the country Myanmar, "as everyone else does."
He commented that the Philippines could play a useful role
bilaterally as well as in the ASEAN context in encouraging
the Burmese regime to take additional steps on the roadmap.
He acknowledged a clear role on this issue for the UN Human
Rights Council, of which the Philippines is a member, while
noting that additional assistance from UN bodies rather than
any new sanctions would likely be more productive in prodding
the regime forward. He recognized the importance of moving
quickly to suggest acceptable names as possible Special
Envoys, while noting that the regime likely would not welcome
individuals from Thailand and Malaysia, as they would not be
"disinterested parties," as might someone from the
Philippines. He said that PRC Ambassador to the Philippines
Li had clearly indicated that the Chinese did not want to
offer anyone up for this role, either. He promised to brief
Pol/C after the in-house policy review.
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm
KENNEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2012
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM RP
SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES CONTEMPLATING NEXT STEPS ON BURMA
REF: A. STATE 20000
B. MANILA 179 (NOTAL)
Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) In a meeting with Ambassador on February 22, Foreign
Secretary Romulo welcomed the latest U.S. thinking on Burma
SIPDIS
(ref a) and pledged to continue to use Philippine
chairmanship of ASEAN through August to encourage the Burmese
regime to take meaningful steps on its roadmap, as President
Arroyo had done at the ASEAN Summit in January (ref b).
Romulo observed that ASEAN members seemed increasingly more
vocal on the need for change in Burma. The Philippines, he
said, was no longer the lone ASEAN voice on Burma. He
admitted that he was not sure this was having an impact, but
said ASEAN needed to use every opportunity to push Burma.
Romulo noted that the UNSYG had discussed with him the
importance of the role of the Special Envoy when the two met
in January. Romulo had no specific thoughts on candidates
"as long as it is someone strong and effective."
2. (C) Pol/C separately met on February 21 with Assistant
Secretary of Foreign Affairs for Asia and the Pacific Romeo
SIPDIS
Manalo to discuss ref a views. Manalo commented that this
meeting was especially timely, as the DFA expected to convene
an in-house working group during the week of February 26 to
discuss how best to handle the subject of Burma during the
ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference and ASEAN Regional Forum in
late July/early August. He reiterated the Philippines'
strong interest -- including by President Arroyo and Foreign
Secretary Romulo -- in seeing meaningful change, including
SIPDIS
release of political prisoners, in Burma, although he faulted
the U.S. for our insistence on using the "old name" rather
than calling the country Myanmar, "as everyone else does."
He commented that the Philippines could play a useful role
bilaterally as well as in the ASEAN context in encouraging
the Burmese regime to take additional steps on the roadmap.
He acknowledged a clear role on this issue for the UN Human
Rights Council, of which the Philippines is a member, while
noting that additional assistance from UN bodies rather than
any new sanctions would likely be more productive in prodding
the regime forward. He recognized the importance of moving
quickly to suggest acceptable names as possible Special
Envoys, while noting that the regime likely would not welcome
individuals from Thailand and Malaysia, as they would not be
"disinterested parties," as might someone from the
Philippines. He said that PRC Ambassador to the Philippines
Li had clearly indicated that the Chinese did not want to
offer anyone up for this role, either. He promised to brief
Pol/C after the in-house policy review.
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm
KENNEY